Florida’s defense has improved each game this season thanks to a simple action: talking.
Improvements in communication within the defense have been key in No. 4 Florida’s two straight wins as it prepares to host Siena tonight at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
In UF’s regular-season opener, an 11-9 loss at North Carolina, the Gators’ defense struggled in one-on-one situations and had trouble getting the ball to the attackers.
“I don’t think we did well on the high 1 v. 1 drives,” coach Amanda O’Leary said. “Kara Cannizzaro scored almost four times on that same exact drive and we didn’t adjust to it.”
Florida followed the North Carolina loss with a 14-5 home win against Jacksonville and an 18-6 win at Maryland-Baltimore County, the first game of the season in which UF did not allow consecutive goals. O’Leary said improved play of the defense, specifically the help defense, is a big reason for the wins.
She said UF has seen success in the same one-on-one situations because the defenders have done a good job telling each other when to shift over if a teammate gets beaten by an attacker.
“When you are not communicating you just kind of feel alone out there,” junior defender Sam Farrell said. “You don’t hear your help. You don’t know if you do get beat, if someone is going to be there slide over to your girl.”
Junior Jamie Reeg said that it is vital for the Florida defenders to be talking to each other not only when there is heavy traffic, but at all times.
“A lot of times teams just pass around and are just standing there not making any moves,” Reeg said. “But just keeping the talk up when things are not crazy is important so when they do start moving around we are not caught off guard and ready to move.”
The Gators’ defenders have experience playing together as Farrell and Reeg have started for the last three years with juniors Kayla Stolins and Emily Dohony. But, O’Leary said, the defense is finding new levels of cohesiveness with every game.
“As they play together more and more that communication becomes better and more direct,” she said.
While the four juniors were well established, O’Leary has also thrown freshman Sally Jentis into the mix. O’Leary said that Jentis and the juniors have improved their communication, but there are still times the correct play is not made.
“We haven’t quite gotten to where we need to be at this point,” O’Leary said. “But we are certainly on our way.”
